A shot of reality
by sr.michaelbucket
Summary: This is a story that I made up and a pairing I made up. You don't like slash, you don't read. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. During a hostage situation that got so out of hand that the army had to be brought in, Sergeant Jankowski was injected with a poisonous tranquillizer. He had only received enough to make him act strange, but he says something that Manuel Morales cannot forget
1. Chapter 1

The blonde took a quick glance around the corner. His eyes darted from left to right in a constant rhythm here and there. He held his assault rifle with a finger on the trigger, ever so lightly, feet making little to no sound what so ever. Redd hadn't the sense to ask about the hostage situation other than "_are they armed?"_ and _"Where's the door?" _It wasn't much to work with, but Stoke's constant babble from the first half of the break-in gave him the rest of what was needed to apprehend the abolitionists before the hostages, a man in his late sixties and his twelve-year-old grandson, were put into further harm. The military, Redd knew, had little place in a hostage negotiation, but the S.W.A.T. team hadn't been much help and the negotiator made the ring-leader much more aggressive than once before. Why a S.F.O.D. team? They were local and the only ones available within a time frame. Jankowski rounded the final corner and locked eyes with a husky man, head void of hair but face gruff and bitter. He took hold of Redd's gun faster than a the bullet could fire and slung the young man into the room with a good amount of the abolitionist cult. The stared him down with eyes of hellfire and curse, but so lit up with amusement and a sudden anticipation. The ring leader, a man that looked normal with blue jeans and a white button-down shirt, glared with the most disdainful grin. "Ah," he began, "So you're the little rat that got into the system. I knew it was army, but not someone who looked so... weak, for lack of a better term."

"You ain't the most buff guy in the world, dude. I wouldn't be calling me weak." The man gave Redd a powerful right-hook.

"I'd watch myself if I were you, boy." They pulled Jankowski into a metal chair and chained his hands together and than around the legs of the chair with another chain around his abdomen. They stepped back and stared him down with sinful eyes and grins of bad intentions. The bald man from earlier pulled a blade and ran in over Redd's throat, but not hard enough to draw blood, just to leave a scratch. He then re-centered the knife in the middle of his neck, over his jugular. "How do you feel about needles?" asked the other man. Redd risked a glance at him and saw him with a large syringe full of a thick liquid.

"What's that?" Redd coughed over the blade.

"It's a little... Tranquillizer to make you a little more co-operative." That didn't sound right. The man took hold of Jankowski's upper arm with a smile. "This might hurt quite a bit." he jabbed the needle into Redd's flesh and pressed down on the butt of the syringe. There was a metal clang and the room filled with gas. The man had only managed to empty a little less than half of the liquid into Redd's arm. Jankowski could hear shots, but they were muffled to the point where they were rarely even heard at all. A face appeared before Redd, fuzzy and voice hard heard, though recognizable.

"Hay, Manny," said the blonde with a chuckle. Manuel Morales shook Jankowski vigorously.

"Common, man, snap out of it! We need to go!" Redd's head slumped to the side. Manny dug into the pockets of some of the abolitionists and pulled a key from a body. He unlocked the chains and threw Redd over his shoulder, bolting into the next room, unable to exit through the main door. He was soon pinned by gunfire behind a wall in the office area. He spoke over his com-link to his other team members. "I need back up! I'm out numbered and way out-gunned! Sergeant Jankowski is immobilized! I need support A.S.A.P.!" It was Sergeant Keegan who answered.

"Hold your position and stay low! I'm coming in with Griffin through a west-side window. Is there any cover in that area?"

"An empty dumpster. Hurry and bring the big guns, man! They got a hole stock of heavy assault weapons!"

"Copy that. Becket's heading in through the back door while they deal with us. Be ready to sneak out with him!" Manny gasped his reply as a bullet gazed his ear. Redd began to stir and shift about under Manny's arm as Sergeant Morales tried to force his head to keep to the wall. The west side window blasted in and Keegan and Griffin dove behind the dumpster, unleashing a storm of gunshots at the abolitionists. They shouted warnings to the attacking men, but they did little. "You have one last chance to stand down before we bring the party," Keegan's Bostonian accent rang clear. The men showed little sign of stopping.

"Bring it, army man!" one called.

"If you insist!" Keegan held up a detonator and press the button with a laugh. The wall behind the men blasted inward, killing many, but leaving enough to continue to fight. With the thinned numbers, Manny was able to duck thru the back way with sergeant Becket and the two hostages unscathed. They rushed to a Medical unit that took a look at Redd. Manny showed them the syringe. One of the medical examiners recognized the liquid immediately.

"Is that all that was injected in him?" he asked. Manny shrugged

"I guess so. I didn't see any other syringes lying around."

"In large quantities, this stuff can kill, but he appears to be alright. If that's all that's in him, he'll just be a little crazy for a while, but we need to evac him, just in case." Manny nodded and gave Redd a parting pat on the shoulder before grabbing his weapon and rushing back into the line of fire.

...

The hospital staff had been giving him good reports about Redd's status, but denied him the privilege to see the man. "We have some more tests to run just to be on the safe side," one nurse had told him with a reassuring tone. It was another hour and a half before Manny could see him. Sergeant Morales entered with a smile. Redd looked tired, eyes droopy like a basset hound with dark rings under them. He gave sigh and spoke up, obviously still under control of the drug. "Hay, amigo!" he laughed, " What'cha been up to?" Manny smiled, relieved that his comrade was well enough.

"Waiting around to see you."

"You see me almost every day. You don't need to see me now."

"No, I don't need to, but I wanted to. I wanted to know if you were okay." Redd took hold of Manny's hand and played with his glove for a moment, mumbling something under his breath. Becket entered with a bandage around his shoulder. He smiled at Redd, but the blonde was too preoccupied with Manny's hand. "He's still a little crazy from the drug," Manny explained.

"Ah..." Becket huffed, sitting down across the room with a sigh of exhaustion that quavered as his slumped low in the chair.

"You're crazy!" Redd barked, punching Manny in the arm. "but not too bad looking," The blonde mumbled. Manny's glared at him with wide eyes, making Redd burst with mirth and give a broad, toothy grin. Becket grunted and shook his head, pulling a newspaper from the stack on the windowsill and covering his eyes with the print.

"Very funny." Manny flicked Redd's nose and pulled the man into a quick hug, but Redd pulled him down to where his lips were to Manny's ear.

"I wasn't joking... I've always thought that about you," he slurred, laying back and closing his smoldering brown eyes with a tired sigh. He was fast asleep with Manny still staring at him. Becket had fallen asleep as well, thankfully.

_He's still loopy from the drug, _thought Morales. _He'll be okay in the morning. _


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Redd was sent home with a clean bill of health. Manny had offered to drive his friend home, knowing that the doctor said for the man not to drive and wanting to, somehow, bring up what he said in the hospital. Redd was reluctant, but agreed, regardless. The Hispanic felt as though every glance and smile was torture like a knife to the stomach over and over. Redd could tell there was something wrong with Morales, something that was eating at him from the ankles up. "What all went down yesterday?" he finally asked. Manny gave a slight jump at the break in silence.

"Most of the abolitionists were killed, the rest are in custody, you got sent to the hospital, happily ever after." Redd punched Manny in a similar manner as the night before and sighed, leaning back in his seat. "You tired?" Jankowski mumbled something, realized Manny couldn't hear him and then nodded slowly, turning in his seat to rest on his hands. Morales patted the man's back and sighed as well. "I haven't slept at all."

"Why not? The doctors let you stay." Manny only shrugged. "Hay, the nurses said that I was acting all weird when I was brought from the drugs those psychos gave me. What all did i do?" This was Manny's opportunity. He opened his mouth, saying the words in his head, but nothing came out from his mouth in reality. He closed his mouth and sighed.

"You didn't _do _anything. It's what you said. You were all loopy like you were really hammered." Jankowski gave a short laugh.

"What did I _say_, then?" Manny had no answer. He didn't look like he was going to ever respond. "It's rude to ignore people," Said the blond, bumping Manny with his elbow. Morales huffed and looked at Redd with a 'Big-brother' like scolding look that Redd could remember Spencer giving him all too often. But Manny gave in.

"I made a comment about how you were still crazy from the drugs to Becket and you hit me and said I was crazy and you sounded drunk and called me amigo and all that jazz." Redd now seemed worried, and it was clear on his face.

"Was that all? Don't hold out on me."

"Yes, that was it. Nothing big and personal, don't worry." Jankowski didn't seem too thrilled with the assurance, but nodded and let a smile creep up upon his lips. Manny pulled up into the apartment complex, smiling at Redd with a warm 'See you tomorrow.'

"You want to come in? I wouldn't mind the company for a while." Redd urged with such a heart breaking, pleading look in his eyes. Manny stared for just a moment shook his head.

"No, you go get some sleep. I'll see if I can visit tomorrow if the sniper training with the rookies is pushed back like Keegan said it would be." The look on Redd's face was unbearable, disappointing for the most. Those eyes could cut like a scalpel.

"So, you have other things to do today?"

"Yeah, stuff you don't need to stress about right now. Keep your mind off work." Manny felt ashamed that he wasn't able to provide a more valid reason in the fear that Redd felt as though Manny didn't want to see him.

"Alright. See you later. " Manny gave a sympathetic smile and backed out from the complex. The entire way home he was scolding himself.

_You idiot! You had the chance and you chicken out like baby! Gah, his face. What's wrong with you? _


	3. Chapter 3

Redd had forgot to set his alarm clock not to go off. He groaned and rolled over in his bed, not being able to muster the strength to press the snooze button. It would go off eventually. A more urgent sound, though, forced him to his feet. Jankowski slammed his fist in his clock and walked into the kitchen to grab his cellular phone, which he'd not bothered to carry into the bedroom the night before. "Hello?" Redd answered.

"Hay, Redd!" It was Manny. the Blonde smiled and walked over to his couch. He laid back and sighed.

"hay."

"I was calling to ask if you want to take a little vacation with some of the others today. We pushed all our work off till tomorrow so we can go to the beach." Jankowski snickered and looked outside. There was still morning frost on the windows.

"Um, which beach?" he asked.

"Orange." Redd coughed and stood up to walk back to his bedroom.

"That's a long drive, dude."

"Yeah, but that's why we're leaving early. six o'clock seems nice enough if we want to have time around the coast." Jankowski sat at the foot of his bed, looking at the weather report for Fairport: rainy, windy, and undesirable. He sighed and walked over to his dresser to grab his bathing suit.

"Alright, I'm in. When do you think you'll get here?" Manny's tone had obviously perked up.

"Five minutes. I hope you can tolerate Harry for three hours in the van." It wasn't a good situation, Harold being intelligent and loving to contradict everything the young blonde said, but anytime away from work or rain seemed just to irresistible for a northerner who got little sun and too much bleak.

"I think I'll manage as long as Becket's coming. He'll keep Keegan quiet."

"That he will. See you a bit."

"Alright, see you then." Redd hung up the phone and grabbed a duffel bag from the top shelf of his closet. He packed some sun-block, bathing suit, phone, and Ipod for the trip. He zipped the bag then tossed it onto the couch. He then walked back into the bedroom to change out of his night cloths. He got a pair of loose blue jeans and a grey t-shirt. What he was wearing at the moment mattered less since he was going to change later in the day. A grey van pulled into the complex and Manny jumped out with a broad grin. Redd greeted him with a smile.

"Ready to go?" asked the Hispanic. Jankowski nodded and threw his bag over his shoulder. It started to pour just as they strapped into their seats and thunder erupted with a spray of rain and bolts of lightning shooting from cloud to cloud in a static discharge though thin air.

Surprisingly, Keegan said nothing to Redd for the majority of the trip. He and Becket were locked in a conversation, or rather an argument, about baseball teams and footballs teams, but then Becket brought up hockey and it spiraled into an even worse spat. Redd pinched the bridge of his nose and ran his hand over his face. "Could you two shut up for just five seconds?" It was Manny who broke in. Redd sighed and laid back in his seat.

"You read my mind." Michael turned to look out his window at the drizzle of rain. They would be coming up on Orange Beach in an hour or so.

...

California was bright and beaming with smiling faces and and even brighter ray of sunshine. The sky was cloudless and cast in a hue of blues from the horizon into the peak of the sky. It was about a little past twelve and the climax of Orange Beach's activity levels. It was also the climax of the day's heat. That made the decision an easy one and the group would hit the water as soon as they got changed. They walked along the water line until finding the least crowded spot on the sand. Redd laid out his towel and himself atop of it. sighing and relaxing under the warmth of the rays. Manny watched him. He couldn't keep himself from looking at him. Keegan and Becket were far out in the water, not able to hear them unless they yelled. This was an ideal time to confront Redd, and he was going to, no matter what happened. He stood up and walked over to Redd, his sunglasses blocking the anxiety in his eyes. "Hay, Redd, can I talk to you?" he asked, trying not to make his voice break. The blonde removed his own sunglasses and smiled.

"Sure, what's up?" Manny took a quick, deep intake of air. He'd just say it, quick and painless like ripping off a bandage or getting a shot.

"It's about the hospital, something you said that I didn't tell you, that I couldn't tell you. It made me all nervous and I-"

"Manny! You said what you told me was all I said!"

"Shh! Yeah, I know, but it just wouldn't come out and I didn't want to feel stupid."

"What did I say?" Redd was furious. His eyes lit up like inferno. Manny knew that Jankowski was going to hate him for this.

"Yo- you said you thought I was attractive and that you'd always felt that way about me. Redd I'm sorry." Redd closed his eyes and tried to breath easy. He couldn't think of an excuse to tell Manny. "Redd?" He reached to put a hand on the blonde's shoulder, but had his hand grabbed and yanked. Their lips caressed one another's softly. Manny's eyes were wide in shock, his body frozen in place. His hand was gripping Redd's out of the need to cling to something. The blonde pulled away, wrenching his hand from the other, but now with a dream-like faze in his eyes. He looked away, face crimson like blood. His body felt so warm. It was a sensation that he'd wanted to feel for what seemed like decades, but a thought aroused. Manny wasn't like him. Manny was normal. Redd stood up and trudged off to the van. Manny came to his senses and stood to go after him. "What- where are you going?"

"To sit in the van. Don't bother with me."

"No, you're not!" Morales took hold of the other man's arm and pulled him back down onto the towel. Redd had that demonic, flaming glare once more, but deep down, far into the abyss of his being, he was in pain. "You're not going to just walk out like that. You're staying with us. You can have a bad attitude all you want, but you're staying with us." Manny could see the hurt and softened his tone. "What's wro-?"

"You're not like that are you?" Redd butted in. Manny went silent for a moment.

"No..." Jankowski yanked his hand away and rolled over onto his side, back facing Manny. "Redd..."

"Stay away from me. Don't ever talk me." The knife had been driven too deep. There was no recovering.


	4. Chapter 4

Keegan and Becket emerged from the water, soaked from head to toe with a horse-shoe crab. It was dead, but must have been interesting enough for them to bring it out if the sea. Harold took one look at Redd and could see the rage steaming from off of his skin. "What's wrong with blondey?" he snorted, shoving the dead crab into Becket's hands. Manny just shrugged.

"You know very well what's wrong with me, Manny. Go ahead and tell them." His words bit like venomous rattlesnakes as did his voice. Keegan gave Manny a strange look, now more interested than ever in what made Jankowski so distraught. Manny didn't even attempt to explain what happened. He just came up with an answer that suited best for now.

"We had a little argument." he stated.

"More like a one-way conversation. Like talking to a dog."

"Okay, I take back what I said 't have a bad attitude, but if you feel like you want to leave, feel free to walk home!"

"Thank you!" Redd snatched up his towel and stormed off the beach. He stopped at the van to get his bag then headed off down the street. He had anger in his stride, but pure agony in his eyes that Manny could never forget. Morales put his face in his palms and started to curse.

"Okay, what was the argument about?" Keegan urged. Becket was sitting in the sand, quiet and covering the dead crab in sand.

"It wasn't an argument. We were talking about something he said while under the influence of that drug he was injected with." Becket looked up.

"You mean when he said you were good looking?" Manny blushed.

"Yeah." It clicked in Harold's head.

"Ah, so Redd likes you. I can see why he's so upset. Can't be fun when the person you love doesn't love you back. You were easy on him, weren't you?" Manny made a face and Keegan threw his hands in the air and groaned.

"Really, man? You know how he is and you just flat out tell him you don't like him?" Manny stood up and grabbed his hair in both his fists.

"No! He asked if I was like that and I said 'no' "

"That's just as bad!" Michael butted in. Manny growled and padded off the beach, leaving his sunglasses in the sand. He broke into a run when he knew he was out of Keegan and Becket's lines of sight. He bolted off in the direction Redd had gone off in. He soon found himself at a divide in the street by the board walk. He glanced about, trying to find the directing they had come from Fairport, but there was no use in that. Redd had no sense of direction, and he wouldn't walk home, either. He'd take a bus, most likely. There was still a slight chance that Redd had been so stubborn to actually walk or to guilt-trip Manny.

"What do you want?" Manny turned sharply on his heels, met by Redd's burning eyes. The white in his eyes was a light pink, making Manny's insides twist with guilt.

"Thank God, I thought something had happened to you."

"Why would something happen to me and why would you care?" that hurt. It was a painful blow, but Manny had a response, and a gentle one at that.

"Just because I don't like you that way, doesn't mean I can't worry about you," Morales breathed, a smile on his face. Redd didn't mirror the expression and just glared at him. Manny's smile faded. "Well, forgive me for trying." Redd grunted, an angry sneer.

"Request denied. Now, leave me alone." He turned to walk of, but Manny grabbed his arm and yanked him around to the side of a corner shop and slammed the blonde into the wall, pinning him by his arms and staring him down. Redd twisted his wrists, trying to break the Hispanic's hold on him. When that proved useless, he resorted to yelling.

"Let me, fucking go! What are you doi-" he was shut up with a kiss. Now _he_ was the one at a loss for words and frozen in place, clinging to Manny's hands as they slid down over Redd's palms. The blonde closed his eyes, leaning into the soft caress of the other's lips to his. Manny's hands slid down Redd's body, stopping at his hips, allowing Jankowski to cling to Manny's shoulders and push harder into the lock of their lips. Redd's hands then slid onto Morale's bare chest and he turned his head slightly, moaning as they stopped to breath and re-clasped their lips. His body was begging for more. _He_ was begging for more, as was Manny, but Manny's senses came to and forced him to stop. He pushed off of Redd onto the other wall, and Redd leaned against the adjacent, arms flat against it and gasping for breath. Their faces couldn't have been redder. "I thought you said that you didn't like me that way."

"I-I know. I don't... I don't... I'm not sure anymore... What are you doing to my head...?"

"What are you doing to _mine_? If this is just a way to get me to feel better Manny, I swear I will strangle you."

"It's not, I just... I just couldn't stop myself... I wanted to. I don't know why, but I wanted to... God help me..."

"Well, unless you're sure, don't play with my emotions!" Manny slid down the wall, breathing hard.

"I wasn't Redd, but you sure as hell are with mine! Why did you let me?"

"I thought you wanted it!" It was going to be a long drive home.


	5. Chapter 5

Redd sat quietly in his room without a sound other than a creaking ceiling fan. He watched a stray dog from his window rip into the neighboring unit's garbage, but didn't bother to get onto the mutt, per norm. He'd gotten a message from Manny earlier, but never bothered to call him back, being to scared that some words that he'd rather leave unsaid would emerge, against his will and for his anger's own gain. His cell rang again. He let in go to voice mail. "Hay, Redd, it's Manny again. Please pick up. I need to talk to you, please." This time, Redd snatched up the phone and picked up.

"What is it?" the words came out with a hostile bite to them, unintended, though.

"Thank you."

"Are you so desperate to call me three times prior to now?" Redd, inside, was smiling.

"Yeah, I am. I want to go somewhere with you." Those words took Redd by surprise. He breathed an easy sigh, trying not to get his hopes up or excite himself and have it turn out not to be what he wanted it to. It had happened all to often to his older brother and he wouldn't let himself make the same mistake.

"Why?" Jankowski sounded cautious. He fidgeted in his seat and laid back down on his bed. "It's three in the morning, by the way."

"Not now! Anyway, I want to talk to you. Spend some time with you, more like it. Forgive me if I'm trying too hard, but yeah, I want to go on, sort of, a date."

"Where is this sudden show of affection coming from?" asked Redd with a somewhat taunting shine to his voice. Manny gave a little chuckle.

"Something is just telling me that it feels right and I'm listening to it, for once," Manny mused. He sat back on his couch and listened for Jankowski's reply. It didn't come for a long while, making Morales suspect that the blonde had fallen asleep.

"Sure, why not? I can afford to have my heart completely shattered," he finally huffed from the other end. Manny sighed and tried to speak kindly to the man on the other end.

"I don't intend to do that. I want to show you a good time, that's all. Would that be so bad?" Manny's voice sounded as though he were about to start begging, which tempted Redd's worse side, but there was no more to gain from the taunts and refusals.

...

Of all days Manny wanted to take Redd somewhere, today of all was the worst. It was a raging storm that hit Fairport with a whirlwind of lashing rain and thunder clouds as black as ebony, blocking the sun and sky and allowing little light aside from the occasional lightning bolt through the clouds. Thunder raged the air with it's bright accomplice which struck building spires and the tallest of plants. One tree had to be put out by the fire department after it toppled over a road-side shop. There wasn't a nice place to go in Fairport in weather like such, but Manny was optimistic and smiled at Redd as often as possible. According to him, it was a perfect day. "So," he finally breathed softly to Redd, sending slight chills through the other's body, "What sounds good to you?" Redd looked around for a short while at the food stops. He sighed.

"Anyplace the doesn't smell like grease, truckers, or dead animals. And it has to be dry."

"Well, that eliminates almost eighty percent of Fairport." Redd laughed and continued to stare out the window. They reached a backed-up traffic light and Manny groaned. He pinched the bridge of his nose then turned to look at the other. He was quietly looking at the raindrops blasting his window. The street lights cast a faint aura over his skin and light hair. It was almost angelic, to Manny. The Hispanic leaned over and planted a light kiss on Redd's cheek with a smile. Redd turned sharply and returned the show of affection only on Manny's lips. It was slightly surprising, by Morales accepted it, kissing back many times on the other's lips. Inside, he was scolding himself for the pace of his advances. _Slow down! You'll make him nervous. _Manny was listening to this voice today and stopped, but pulled out with a soft smile, making it seem as casual as he could. Redd smiled back and turned to look out his window once more. There was not a thing in the world to ruin this for Redd. Manny hadn't ever seen him so genuinely happy. Manny looked up just as the light changed and turned onto another street, then into a Dairy Queen. This facility was fairly new and wouldn't have smelled horrid nor have a leaky roof. Manny pulled an umbrella from the back seat of the pick-up and jumped out, rushing to Redd's side. He opened the door for him and let him huddle close under the umbrella until they reached the front doors. They both got Oreo Blizzards and sat down at the corner at the far end of the crowded shop where they wouldn't been seen nor bothered. They sat on the same bench, Redd curling up to the other with a warm smile, though tired.

They were amerced in hours if conversation before being forced to leave after a very Christian woman complained about a kiss that the two shared, though that wasn't true and the two knew how to hold back in public. They left anyway, without a fight and trudged through the freezing rain to the truck. Manny sighed as he started the vehicle. "I suppose I should take you home, then?" he asked. Redd smiled

"As long as you stay for a little while."

"Sure, why not?"


	6. Chapter 6

Manny lay relaxed on the couch, arms behind his head with a soft, inaudible, sigh. He waited, with Redd, in the dark of the living room for the power to be restored to the blonde's apartment. They joked around about past memories and about old grudge matches between members of the squad of which they both were part of. Redd was, relatively, new to Dark Signal, but, with Becket recently being pulled from a different team to join, was not the newest. Jankowski took to calling him 'Bucket', as a result of a joke made by Morales earlier in the day. Redd was eager to call Michael such the next time he saw him. As the minutes trudged on into hours, the two ran out of things to discuss. They sat, for a short time, just staring at one another. Manny broke the silence. "When was the last time you really felt love?" he asked. Redd smiled softly.

"My brother always said that you only, truly, feel love when you're with the person you know you'll be with forever."

"So, you haven't felt it."

"Manny, yes I have. I've been feeling it since the moment I first saw you. I've been in love with you ever since we met," said the blonde with a light flush. He wasn't acting much like himself, but that was blamed on him being love struck. As soon as he got used to Manny, his normal self would emerge. "And I know it's true, because I've never felt this for any other human. I may have been dumbfounded when gone out with some people, but that was because I had never done it before and I was frazzled. But, now, I feel something that I've never felt. I'm not just caught up in the moment. I really feel it." In that short time that Manny had been listening to the voice in the back of his mind, he'd started to see that the feeling between he and Redd was mutual. He felt what he knew was love and there wasn't a reason on Earth that he could deny it. His face flushed when Redd smiled at him. He found himself laughing at jokes that had been told to him by so many others, but when Redd told them, they were funny. Redd's every flaw seemed, to Manny, as a new perfection and part of his uniqueness and self. His eyes sparkled in a way that Morales saw in no others and a smiled that sent his body into a deep over-heat. He was perfect. There was no other way to explain it. Manny pulled Redd into his lap and wrapped his arms around the other in a snug embrace that warmed his, slightly chilled, skin. He wanted to say it. He felt like it was right and there were no better words. What if it were going too far, though? He'd have to take the chance.

"I love you..." the tone was soft and sounded as the sweetest melody with a sexy Spanish accent. It sent a rush if shivers through Redd and made his body flush with warmth.

"I love you, too..." To hear Redd return the words of affection caused an inner burst of joy for Manny. He kissed the other with the most passion he could muster, making the other grin and return it. Both of their lips were soft and welcoming, making a kiss easy to give and receive. The power was still out, both of them running out of things to say. It was getting late as well. The storm was whipping rain like a lash over the windows and turned the branches of the trees before the window into heads of cobras. It was no condition to drive home it, Redd understood. "Why don't you stay here for tonight? It's not exactly safe to drive home and it would make me feel better to know that you'd be here and not on the road somewhere at risk of crashing." Manny smiled.

"Should I sleep on the couch?" he asked. Redd shook his head.

"No, I don't mind sharing the master bedroom. I got a king-sized mattress, so..."

"Isn't that wrong?"

"No, we're not going to 'do it' are we?" Jankowski gave a devious grin. Manny patted his rear end and stood from the couch, stretching his arms with a loud moan.

"Hopefully not, though you'd, undoubtedly, be a fine partner for such activities." Redd continued to smiled.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, sweet-heart, but if you want that kind of attention, you need to get me a ring. It's against my morals to have sex before marriage." It was understandable. Manny had to respect Redd's beliefs.

...

After finding some night cloths to fit Manny, Redd and his new lover curled into bed, the covers coiled around their toes that were entwined with one another's. Redd had one arm over Manny's chest as he lay on his side and Manny on his back, his left arm around Redd and his right behind his head. Jankowski's breathing began to slow, as did his heart rate when he began to relax. Manny fallowed suit. Even in his dreams, he could feel his lover's soft embrace.

(Update: This will have three more chapters before starting a new romance fan fiction. I was already going to do one after this as a request from a real word friend. Someone suggested that I do "Aristide x Abomination" next. The romance fan fic I'm doing after this will be short, don't worry, so your request shall be fulfilled to my earliest convenience. I just need to know what the "abomination" is.

Signed

Sr. Michael Bucket)


	7. Chapter 7

Manny woke with a slight tension in his neck. He'd slept on his arm the entire night. Redd was still curled up to him, head on Manny's chest, breathing soft. Morales pressed his lips to the younger man and smiled as he stirred. One of the blonde's eyes opened with a gleam. "Hay, babe. What's up?" retorted Jankowski. Manny smiled and pulled Redd into his embrace to only kiss him over his lips and forehead and gaining the affections in just the same passion. _I could wake up to this every morning, _Thought Manny as he gave Redd a final kiss on his lips. Just then, Redd's house phone rang. I.D. stated it was military.

"Hello?" Redd asked. He sat and listened intent to whoever was talking to him on the other then hung up the phone with a sigh. "We need to leave. There's been this issue and we need to go pick some rich chick up from her house. we got two hours to pack up."

"Or do something more enjoyable," Morales mused with a devious grin. Redd returned a scolding look.

"Manny..."

"Redd, common. I'm joking. But, if that be what we were planning to do, I'd say it would be worth breaking your morals."

"Breaking my morals? How could you even say that!"

"Joking, Redd. Calm down. I respect your ways, I do. I'd never say or do anything against them." Redd turned his head with an angry jerk. Manny nuzzled his partner's neck, breathing softly into him with a smile. "I love you," he said. The blonde gave in and cuddled up to the other with a defeated sigh.

"I love you, too." His voice was a mumbled slur, but Manny understood his tired huffs that made words when truly listened to.

"I do have something, though, that we could do that shouldn't be a problem." Manny pulled Redd entirely atop of him and grinned broadly as he brought his lips to the others. Manny's tongue slid over Redd's, covering the blond's lips and own tongue in warm moisture. Their lips met and they pulled apart again after a short moment to let their bodies indulge in the warm, wet sensation of one another's tongues touching and slipping over their lips. The pleasure began to make Redd anxious and his fingers tremble as they gripped his partners body, feeling down his torso to his hips and then running through his hair. Breaking his morals was tempting. It was a hard pleasurable thought to ignore, along with his swelling member that pressed to Manny's body with a warm sexual enticing throb.


	8. Chapter 8: Bitter Sweet

Redd sat back in his seat in the A.P.C. Stokes was at his right and Griffin to his left. Keegan was across from Griffin and Fox from Stokes. Redd scoffed as he saw that Becket was fast asleep in front oh him. He was fidgeting slightly. "Redd," said Stokes, "Wake Becket up. We're just about there." Redd stood up and grabbed Becket's right shoulder, shaking him lightly. Becket's eyes shot open and he jumped quite a bit.

"Nice of you to join us, sunshine." Becket grumbled something at the blonde that deemed inaudible.

"Sit down, Redd." Stokes shoved Redd into his seat and began to fiddle with the other man's visor. As she began her normal unnecessary babble, Redd let his mind stray, acting as though he were still listening to Stokes. He thought about the hours before their mission was called in; Thankfully, for his own self sanity, Redd hadn't broken his morals, but he HAD had quite the time with his new lover. All it was was a good bit of passionate kissing between the two of them in bed or against a wall in a good position. Suddenly Griffin's voice broke his train of thought.

"Protective custody! I don't want any breakage, even if she resists."

"Lighten up, Top. She's a suit. What's she gonna do? Send a nasty text message?" (Yes, I have played F.E.A.R. 2 so much that I know the dialog bit by bit.) Redd scoffed. Stokes rolled her eyes at the young blonde.

"_She's_ not the problem. C.E.N.T. com thinks she's directly linked to the blood-bath at Armacham head quarters." Redd could recall the incident rather well from the briefing before they were deployed. He imagined the bodies, mangled and laying battered on the floor in pools of blood. Then, his heart stopped. Spencer was assigned to that mission... Men were dropping like flies; good men that seemed to be impossible to down and Spencer was out there with them. All of a sudden, Redd heard Griffin relaying instructions to him. He had told him to Partner up with Becket.

"Why do I have to get stuck with Bucket?" Becket gave a gruff frown and a nearly silent growl. Griffin turned sharply and got so close to Redd's face that the younger man could smell the rotten stench of his badly flavored gum.

"because I don't like cry babies!" As Griffin exited the A.P.C. and the hatch closed behind him, Stokes, Fox, and Keegan, his voice broke clear over the com-link. "Remember people: trigger discipline." he stressed the last word. Redd sighed and looked at Becket with a tired glaze. it was rather a mask that his his nervousness and his fear for, both, his brother and Manny. He hoped he would be able to go home after all this. It seemed simple enough.

"This OPP is Bullshit, man. What's so important about this chick that the cops can't pick her up?" Manny turned in his seat.

"Hay, just be glad that they didn't divert us to Armacham H.Q. The recon team they sent in got ripped to shreds. That situation's getting out of control." Every organ in Redd's body was twisting in agonizing, petrified, fear. Spencer had to be alright. He was all Redd had left... Manny stopped and opened the Hatch.

"This is your stop guys." Redd grabbed his weapon and was about to fallow Becket out when Manny stopped him. Michael looked back at them, then turned sharply as to not look and give them privacy. "Redd," Manny started, "be careful. I love you." he planted a kiss on his lover's lips with a smile.

"I promise I'll be back in a few minutes. I love you, too." Manny waved the young blonde off and locked eyes with him as the hatch closed, the last thing Manny saw being the broad, toothy grin...

(Okay, you know how this ends. It's tragic, I know, but you had to have seen it coming, right? That's it! I hope you liked it and Reviews would be appreciated, but no hating on me. This is a bitter sweet pill. I understand.)


End file.
